Canadians are voting in large numbers on Monday to elect a new government, possibly with a decisive mandate, in order to give their country a better chance to push back against Donald Trump's offensive in order to make Canada the 51st state of the United States. While some ridings have an even contest, there are some constituencies where the electoral battles are closely fought.
The outcome in these ridings or constituencies will play a crucial role in determining who becomes Canada's next prime minister.
BURNABY CENTRAL, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Burnaby Central is a new constituency. The total seats in Canada's parliament, each representing a riding, has gone up from 338 in 2021 to 343 to 2025. This is due to a rise in the country's population. The result in this riding is important for Jagmeet Singh's New Democratic Party since it is in British Columbia, a stronghold for Sikh voters. The contest here for the NDP is with the Liberal Party of Canada and the result will show if they have the might to take on the party in power.
Jagmeet Singh, who had kept former PM Trudeau's minority government alive in return for more social spending, says it is because of him that Canadians here benefited. Mr Singh is the NDP candidate here. However, latest polls suggest that he is running third in the riding with most Canadians backing the Liberals.
TROIS-RIVIERES, QUEBEC
Quebec, the province with a sizeable population and second-highest number of ridings in the country, is a key region for any party which wants a strong mandate in parliament. But Quebec is a challenge for all other parties as it is the only parovince in Canada which has its own party - the Bloc Quebecois. Quebec has been seeking independence from Canada and usually people vote for their own party.
But Trois-Rivieres is one of the ridings in Quebec where three, sometimes four parties, contend for the vote. The 2021 result was very close, with the Bloc winning by just 83 votes of the 58,110 that were cast.
AURORA-OAK RIDGES-RICHMOND HILL, ONTARIO
Key to any victory is the so-called Golden Horseshoe, a riding-rich crescent that sits on Lake Ontario and includes Toronto as well as other cities. From 2018 to 2021, it was the Conservatives that held this key constituency. Some of the major issues in this crucial riding is extreme unhappiness over cost of living, a housing crisis, and immigration.
The Conservatives have strongly criticised the ruling Liberal government over these issues, and should they be able to wrest the riding, it will give them a big advantage.
CUMBERLAND-COLCHESTER, NOVA SCOTIA
Atlantic Canada has 32 seats and is located in the first time zone where results start showing. This region has four provinces under it, and becomes a key first-indicator of which way the result is heading due to early leads. This region is politically volatile and therefore, contests are close.
In 2019 the Liberals had managed a win by a very slim margin of a few hundred votes, but lost it to the Conservatives in 201.
EDMONTON SOUTHEAST, ALBERTA
This is an oil-producing region of Canada and has been a challenge for Liberals because of their policies. Conservatives, who seem to regard the economy somewhat more than the climate, have a clear edge. Justin Trudeau never managed to win more than a handful of seats in this key region, but with him gone, the Liberals aim for a stronger show.
In Edmonton Southeast, former Liberal Cabinet minister Amarjeet Sohi has got a ticket from his party.
BURLINGTON, ONTARIO
This Ontario riding southwest of Toronto is the ultimate in Canadian bellwethers, having elected a legislator from the winning party for 12 consecutive elections going back to 1984.
In 2021, Liberals got 45.7 per cent of the votes as compared to 37.3 per cent of the Conservatives.
